Chapter 2 Shocking News

My mother-in-law protested, "No, you're not going through with that—"

The pain in my stomach was intensifying, and I almost lost my strength to stand. My worried mother-in-law held me up. "You're anemic, Rachel. They'll be taking more of your blood for the test. It's not going to be good for the baby. I think we should forget about it."

I was a little uneasy. Maybe my mother-in-law was hiding something from me. If I didn't go through with the test, Cassius' paranoia would only worsen.

I bit my lip and shook my head. With the last ounce of my strength, I held myself up and said yes. "I'll do it."

Under Cassius' gaze, I slowly went into the test center. Jessica took my blood herself. The moment I was pricked, I could sense my mother-in-law's concern grow. The first needle was pulled out only to be followed by a second one.

Then, the third, the fourth, the fifth…

Then the thirty-ninth. I was nearly crashing out at the fortieth draw. Weakly, I asked, "I thought only 10 milliliters of the mother's blood is needed for the test, Dr. Riverson?"

Jessica explained innocently, "Well, we thought we should conduct more tests just to be sure who the baby's father is."

I sneered. "And forty samples aren't enough?"

A pair of hands pushed me down on the cold metal. Coldly, Cassius looked at me. "You don't get to lord anyone around, Rachel. If you don't want to get your blood taken, I'll make you."

He tied my hands on the metal and let Jessica draw my blood ninety-nine times. I was white as paper, and cold sweat was pouring down like rain.

Panicked, my mother-in-law lunged and defended me. "She's going to die! The baby's going to die too if this keeps up!"

Cassius, drowning in his rage, shoved his mother away.

I gasped as my mother-in-law crashed into the wall headfirst. Blood trickled from her forehead, and she fainted. Without thinking, I tried to break free of the ropes, but then the needle jabbed into my veins.

The pain turned my eyes red, and I roared at Cassius, "That's your mother! How could you—"

Cassius slapped me. "Shut up. I know you've been sleeping with random men all the time. I will not let the bastard come to this world!"

I felt the taste of metal dribble down my mouth. He was going to attack me again, and I explained in a hurry, "It is your brother's child!"

Cassius grabbed my chin and snickered. "We'll find out in three hours. In the meantime, stay in the warehouse and think about what you did."

I was thrown into a warehouse and curled up behind the entrance. Bruises decorated my arms. My lips were shouting in pain, and my cheeks were swollen from the slap. The pain in my belly came again. I felt the life within slip away.

I went on my knees and looked at him with a silent plea in my eyes. 'I'm a shameless woman. I only got knocked up with this child because I seduced your brother. Please don't lock me up. Please. I am pregnant with your brother's child.'

Cassius bent over and watched me suffer in pain, but there was no sympathy in his eyes. There was only disgust. "And so what if you are? My brother's a vegetable. He can't be the family's heir. Only Jessica's child can be the Lichtenstein's heir!"

Disbelief flashed in my eyes. 'Jessica is pregnant?' I thought.